Oil smoke generator



July 15, 1947. H. E. IINORTON ETAL 2,423,847

01L SMOKE GENERATOR Filed July 10, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invenfars H. E. NORTON y 15, H. E. NORTON ET AL I 2, ,84

OIL SMOKE GENERATOR Filed July 10, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors H. E. NORTON J. R. BOND Y 4 1); aw By After/fey:

Patented July 15, 1947 OIL SMOKE GENERATOR Howard 'E..Norton, Baltimore; and 'IohnRJBond, Colora, Md.

Application -July1 0, 1942, Serial No. 450,384

-(Granted runder ithe act of .March 3, .1883, .as amended Aprili30, 1928; 370 O.'G. 7.57)

3' Claims.

1 The invention described herein may be manufactured and used'by or for theGovernment for governmental purposes, without the payment to 'us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to the production of smokescreens, andhas as its primary object the provision-of a device which may be used to advantage for producingscreening'smokes for the purpose of screening troop movements, canals, depots, and other desired objects or area, the hiding of which may be required formilitary-or otherpurposes.

Particularly --as regards the military, 'and 'in times of war, the uses *ofsmoke screens andthe situations under which they are employed are many and varied. Consequently to be thoroughly and efficiently efiective devices used'for producing'screening smokes for military purposes must possess certain requisites.

It is, therefore, the broad aim of this invention to provide a smoke producinginstrumentality that will meet all the exactingrequirements of such a device when used in situations arising and under conditions encountered in military operations, and'is'free ofthose objections hereinafter noted against the various methods and devices heretofore available for producing-smoke screens.

Various typ s or smoke generators, such as smudgepots, orchard heaters, and the'like, have been proposed and usedior the purpose stated, but'all of them have'been found objectionable 'forany one or more of a variety-of reasons. In general, cumbersome structure, tendency to emit flame to a very marked degree, inability to pro- 'duce durable I smoke clouds continuously for relatively'long periodsof time, likelihood ofbecoming adversely afiected'by momentarily existing atmospheric conditions, and generally a lackoi adequate equipment for controlling and varying the smoke-cloud I production at will, are some of the major "drawbacks: militating against the various types of smoke generators and methodsheretofore at the disposal of the militaryiorces.

The smoke generator constituting the present invention will be found possessed of those above enumerated features the'lack of which militates against present smoke generators and the possession of which is a highly desirable requisite when smoke generators are used as contemplated by this invention,

The features of the invention,.combining to present a'smoke generator having allth'e requisites desirable "for -military use and "capable of -attaining-the objects of the invention, "will best be understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is avertical, sectional view through a smoke generator-embodyingthe features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

gigure -3 is an elevational-view of an air inlet tu e;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of'an air inlet valve member; and

Figured is a top plan view of the assembled smoke generator.

In the embodiment illustrated,the smoke generatorof this invention consists essentially of a receptacle or oil pot'5, a stack 6, a hood 1 for the stack, an air inlet tube 8 'forpot 5, and a'valve assembly 9 for the tube 8.

Briefly described, the operation of the illustrated form of the invention is as follows: The oil pot 5 is filled with fuel, preferably oil II), to substantially the level indicated in the drawings. Lid or cover H for pot 5 is then positioned on the latter, after which the remaining parts of the generator-are assembled in any preferred order. Prior'to adjustment of the valve member l2 the oil-contents ID of pot --5 are ignited by inserting a torch or other suitable type of igniter downwardly into the pot, the burning end of the torch passing downwardly of air inlet tube 8 in a manner believed obvious.

-The stack 6 performs the function of conveying-to the outer atmosphere the smoke generated by the fired fuel in the oil pot 5. The valve memher i2 is adjusted to regulate the intake of air through inlet tube- 8. Inthis connection it may be observed that by removing'valve-membe l2 the required maximum amount of air is supplied to potfi'fore-ffecting initial combustion. As little time and effort are required for removal and adjustmentof valve member 12, the placing of the generator in effective operation is quickly and eas'ilyaccomplished, andrequires but little skill on the part of the operator.

"Thewall of stack li-is imperforate throughout the length of the stack,and by reason of this fact'all the generated smoke passes upwardly to emanate-from the-generator only at the top of the stack. As a result there is no loss of smoke in the passage thereof through the stack, and as would result were the stack wall perforated as is generally the case with stack equipped smudge pots, orchard heaters, and similar types of smoke generators. "Consequently the smoke issuing from by reason of the perforated stacks; generally,

thereof, a substantial amount of flame is emitted, an undesirable feature from the standpoint of safety and other obvious factors.

The lid |I fits tightly on pot and is provided with a neck I3 as shown. Lid II is so shaped as and the passage of air therethrough is controlled by valve member I2. Valve member I2 is of hollow, shell-like construction, and is substantially in the form of a cone, and is easily manipulated by reason of the handle 26 provided at the base thereof. V

' The Ivalve member I2 is slidably associated with valve casing 25 for movement to various positions of adjustment by reason of a pilot anto form a combustion chamber I4 for the pot 5;

and from which the generated smoke rises to pass to the atmosphere through stack 6.

To protect the fuel contents of pot 5 from the elements, and to direct the smoke outwardly in substantially horizontal planes from the generator, there is provided hood or cap I. is substantially of frustro-conical form and is supported by uprights I 6. Uprights I5 are secured at one end thereof to the underside of cap I in any;suitable manner, as by being welded thereto, and at an opposite end are, in a similar manner, secured to a band or annulus ll. Band I! is adapted to be sleeved onto eitherthe upper end of stack 6 or onto the upper end of an adapter I8 as may be found most desirable. It will of course be understood that the diameter of band I! will be determined by the diameters of the respective upper ends of stack 6 and adapter I8.

When used, adapter I8 is mounted upon the upper end of stack 5, and is spaced circumferentially therefrom by means of spacers I9. Spacers I9 also serve to secure within the confines-of the bottom end of the adapter a mounting band or annulus 2|! adapted to be sleeved onto stack 6 as shown.

Smoke passing up through the adapter I 8 tends to produce a suction that draws air from the surrounding atmosphere up into the adapter to commingle with the smoke. Thus the adapter servesto provide a mixing chamber, and the air so delivered to the smoke-column has a cooling effect thereon and thereby increases the gravity thereof, as a result of. which the smoke issuing from the generator tends to descend and form a wall or screen touching the ground and rising therefrom to be utilized as a protection for, or

the hiding of, troop movements, canals, depots and. other desired objects or areas,

To accommodate and support air inlet tube 8 pot lid H is provided with an aperture with which is aligned a tube supporting seat 2 Seat 2| is in the form of a tubular member that has one end thereof snugly fitted Within the aforementioned lid aperture and secured in position on the lid in any suitable manner, and as indicatedat 22.. At its upper end seat member 2| has'an inturned flange upon which rests the flange 23 of inlet tube 8. I

As is apparent from the foregoing tube 8 is suspended from seat 2| and extends into pot 5. Air from I the atmosphere passes downwardly through tube 8 and through slots 24 formedin the lower portion of the. tube to commingle with the oil IE] to promote-combustion;

Valve assembly 9 is arranged with respect to tube 8 for controlling the admission of air into the pot for the purpose of providing a controllable draft. This valve assembly, in the illustrated embodiment thereof, comprises a tubular casing 25 and the valve element I2 that is vertically adjustable relative to the casing 25.

'ValVe casing. 25 telescopically fits on seat 2| nulus 21 having a working fit in the valve casing, and a series of spacer bars 28 connecting the valve member I2 and annulus 21 axially spaced one from the other.

The respective opposite ends of casin 25 are flared as at 29 so that either end thereof may be used advantageously to form a seat for valve member l2 when it is desired to entirely out off the inflow of air through the air inlet. Flaring 'of casing ends 29 also facilitates sleeving the selected end of the casing onto seat member 2|.

Stack 6 and adapter I 8 are in the form of truncated cones. This is advantageous for two reasons. From the standpoint of smoke cloud production it is advantageous because, each having its major diameter at the bottom and its minor diameter at the top, there is a tendency to retard the upward movements of the smoke whereby, as regards passage of the products of combustion through the stackcomplete combustion results, and as regards passage of the smoke through the adapter a commingling of air and smoke just sufiicient to increasethe gravity of the latter for the purpose before specified is assured. From the standpoint of packing for storage and/orshipping the truncated cone form of stacks and adapters permits a number of the respective membersto be nested.

Pot 5 andtube'B are, respectively, also of tapered form, thus lending themselves, in the case of each, to compact nesting for the purposes of packing for storage and shipping;

Each of the herein described elements combining to present a smoke generator constructed and operating in the manner'described may be made from sheet metal or from any other material found practical for the purpose, All components are so provided as to permit telescoping or sliding fit to effect the assembling of the parts and the securing of the assembled parts .in position without recourse to fastener elements of any kind. Thus the entire smoke generator lends itself admirably to the assembly and disassembly of the separable units readily and without requiring any particular skill on the part of the operator. 3

within the scope of the appended claims.

What is; claimed is;

1. In a smoke generator, and in combination-,a fuel pot' equipped with draft control mean iembodying a tubular member projecting outward from the pot, and a draftjcontrol valve embodying a casing; provided at'each end with a flare whereby a selected end may be used as a valve seat and the other end telescopically fitted with facility to said tubular member for mounting the valve casing on the fuel pot, and a valve element separably associated with the Valve casing and having a seating part fitting one of said flared ends of the valve casing.

2. A smoke generator comprising a fuel pot having a tubular member projecting outward therefrom, a tubular valve casing provided at each end with a flare whereby a selected end may be used as a valve seat and the other end telescopically fitted with facility to said tubular member for mounting the valve casing on the fuel pot, a valve member having a conical seating part for contact with the first named end of the valve casing and a pilot element fixedly spaced axially from the seating part of the valve member and having a snug sliding fit with the casing for frictionally retaining the valve member in the desired position of adjustment relative to the valve seat-end of the said valve casing.

3. In a device of the character described, a fuel pot having a tubular member projecting outward therefrom, a valve casing provided at each end with a flare whereby a selected end may be used as a valve seat and the other end telescopically fitted with facility to said tubular member for frictionally retaining the valve casing on the fuel pot, and a valve element having a seating part fitting the flared ends of the valve casing, an annulus having a sliding working fit within the valve casing, and circumferentially spaced bars respectively secured at one end thereof to the annulus and at an opposit end thereof to the valve element.

HOWARD E. NORTON.

JOHN R. BOND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,143,582 Hamilton June 15, 1915 1,488,416 Vlag Mar, 25, 1924 1,500,962 Slezinsky July 8, 1924 1,545,789 Olsen July 14, 1925 1,907,336 Scheu May 2, 1933 1,930,863 Scheu Oct. 17, 1933 2,120,291 Morin June 14, 1938 2,171,767 Scheu Sept. 5, 1939 297,972 Day May 6, 1884 851,942 Kernchen Apr. 30, 1907 1,340,033 Fojtik May 11, 1920 602,001 Feldweg Apr. 5, 1898 728,618 Roggenkamp May 19, 1903 2,060,364 Chase Nov. 10, 1936 1,144,699 Dunn June 29, 1915 

